Gate closer



Nov. 22, 1955 A. E. MCNABB 2,724,142

GATE CLOSER Filed Sept. 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 22, 1955 A. E. MCNABB 2,724,142

GATE CLOSER Filed Sept. 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY mmqmywm United States Patent O Garn Chosen Arthur E. McNabb, Monessen, Pa., assi,

Steel Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a to.`r Sylvania to iittsbur eration et This invention relates to gates, and more particularly to their hinging and closing means.

lt is among the objects of this invention to provide a gate which is closed by a vertical torsion spring, which houses the spring in the space between the gate hinges, which has very little friction, which is raised by the spring as soon as the gate starts to open, and which can be installed quickly and easily.

In accordance with this invention a gate is disposed a short distance from a gate post, to which it is connected by upper and lower hinges that have their pivot points between the gate and post. Each of the hinges preferably includes a hinge member rotatably and slidably mounted on a hinge pin so that the gate can be moved vertically to some extent. Between the hinges there is a substantially vertical coil spring, the upper and lower ends of which are rigidly connected to the post and gate, respectively. Consequently, when the gate is swung open the spring is twisted, and its urge to untwist causes it to close the gate when the open gate is released. For best operation, the spring should actually support the gate to take the weight of the gate off the hinges. By having the spring wound in the direction in which it will be shortened when twisted by the opening gate, the spring will lift the gate as it is opened so that the gate will be sure to float on its hinges.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-m Fig. l is a front View of the closed gate;

Fig. 2 is a plan view and horizontal section taken on the line II-II of Fig. l;`

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line lll-ill of F ig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front view of the gate swung back 90 from the position shown in the other figures.

Referring to Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, a gate 1 is located in the space between a couple of gate posts Z and 3 with which a fence 4 is connected. The gate is spaced a short distance from each post, and is connected by hinges to post 3. Half of each hinge consists of a clamp 6 bolted around the post and having a vertical hinge pin 7 at its outer end about half way between the gate and post. The two pins are in axial alignment and extend toward each other. The other half of each hinge also is a clamp 8 bolted to the gate frame and having a passage through its outer end, into which the adjoining hinge pin extends. Hinge clamps 6 are spaced far enough apart to permit hinge clamps 8 to slide up and down on them a short distance, as well as rotate on them, for a purpose that will be described presently.

A short distance below the upper hinge a metal band 10 encircles gate post 3 and has its opposite ends clamped together by a bolt 11 directly below the upper hinge pin.

The upper end of a coil spring 12 is hooked over the bolt between the ends of the band. A similar band 13 is clamped to the gate frame a short distance above the lower hinge. The lower end of the spring is hooked yet simple and compact.

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around the bolt 14 that clamps the ends of the band together. Consequently, when the gate is swung open the spring will be twisted on its axis.

To reduce hinge friction as much as possible so that the spring will act as an effective gate closer, the two sp clamping bands it? and lli are spaced far enough apar to .lift the lower hinge clamp 8l a short distance from the adjoining hinge clamp 6, but not far enough for the upper hinge clamp 8 to be pressed tightly against the upper hinge clamp o. The result is that the gate floats on the hinges, with the only friction that which occurs between the hinge pins and the walls of the passages receiving them.

By using a coil spring wound in the direction shown in the drawings, the spring will be shortened by the tightening up of its convolutions when the gate is opened. This will raise the gate as it is opened as shown in Fig. 4, so that if for any reason the lower hinge clamp S rests on the underlying hinge clamp when the gate is closed, they will start to separate as the gate swings open.

The twist put in the spring by the opened gate exerts a force on the gate that will swing it forward to closed position when it is released. This force is aided by the Weight of the raised gate which tends to stretch the spring lengthwise and thereby cause its convolutions to untwist.

The speed with which the gate is closed can be increased by giving one end of the spring a twist of or 360 before fastening it to one of the clamping bands, or by rotating the lower band i3 around the gate frame a few degrees as shown in Fig. 3.

It will be seen that this gate closer is fully adjustable,

The spring being located between the gate and adjacent gate post, it is out of the Way and fairly well protected.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, l desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claim, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specitically illustrated and described.

I claim:

A closer for a gate that has upper and lower hinges connecting one edge of the gate to a gate post spaced a short distance from it, the closer comprising a coil spring adapted to be placed in substantially vertical position between the gate hinges, a metal clamping band at the upper end of the spring adapted to encircle the gate post and having spaced parallel ends, a bolt extending through said ends and drawing them toward each other, a metal clamping band at the lower end of the spring adapted to encircle said edge of the gate and having spaced parallel ends, and a bolt extending through said last-mentioned ends and drawing them toward each other, the opposite ends of the spring being bent to form vertically extending hooks, the upper hook being hooked over the upper bolt between the ends of the upper band, and the lower hook being hooked around the lower bolt between the ends of the lower band, whereby the spring is fastened to both clamping bands and will be twisted when the gate is opened so that it will close the gate when the open gate is released.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 136,482 Bean et al Mar. 4, 1873 236,688 Mohr Jan. 18, 1881 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,959 Great Britain Apr. 18, 1907 

